Cream Style Corn

If you know me, you know I'm not a big fan of vegetables. But one vegetable I love is corn (and yes, I know it is a "starch" and not a green vegetable, but it is one of the few veggies of any kind I actually like).

I love that summer means fresh corn. My two favorite ways to eat it are on the cob and making cream style corn, so today I'm sharing how to do that.

Ingredients:

• 8 ears of corn 
• Bacon fat
• Water
• Butter 
• Salt 
• Pepper

Yield: 4 servings

Cut the corn off the ears, scraping the ears with a knife.

Cover a skillet bottom with bacon fat.

Heat to medium heat and add the corn and corn liquid.

When it thickens, add water.

Simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour.

When done, add butter, salt, and pepper to taste.

This makes a delicious side dish - we recently had it with BBQ chicken and it was so good!

Decorated Sugar Cookies

The last Christmas cookies we made this year was the decorated sugar cookies.  We make these every year, and my mom, sister, and me decorate them together.  They're lotsa fun to make (and eat!)

We use the sugar cookie recipe from from Betty Crocker's Cookbook and the Buttercream icing recipe from The Wilton School's Decorating Cakes.

Ingredients:

• Sugar Cookies
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 5 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. salt
• Frosting
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup butter
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 8 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 4 tbsp. milk
• food coloring
• optional: sprinkles, chocolate chips, marshmallows, red hots, mini M&Ms, etc.

Thoroughly mix the shortening, butter, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Gradually blend in the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Cover the dough and chill for at least 1 hour.

Roll the dough 1/8-inch thick on a lightly-floured surface.

Cut the dough into your desired shapes using cookie cutters.  Place the cookies on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 400ºF for 6 minutes.

Next you need to make the buttercream frosting.

Cream the butter and shortening in a mixer.  Add the vanilla.

Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well on medium speed.

Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl when needed. The frosting should appear dry.

Add the milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Divide the frosting and add food coloring.  We use Wilton's food coloring.

Stir in the coloring.

Now it's time to decorate!  Frost the cookies and add sprinkles, chocolate chips, M&Ms, coconut - whatever you like.

Here's all the cookies we made this year.

Hope you enjoyed seeing our Christmas baking.  Merry Christmas!

Pecan Paulines

Yesterday I made Pecan Paulines (the recipe we use comes from my Great Aunt Polly).  These are basically like pecan pralines on top of a cookie.  These are really tasty!

Ingredients:

• Cookies
• 1  2/3 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. maple flavoring
• 1 cup pecans
• Praline Frosting
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. corn syrup
• 4 tbsp. water
• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Yield: 32 cookies

Cream the butter.

Gradually add the brown sugar, creaming well.

Mix in the egg, vanilla, and maple flavoring. Beat well.

Gradually add the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Make sure the dough is thoroughly blended.

Shape the dough into an 8-inch roll.  It should be approximately 2 inches in diameter.

Wrap the dough in wax paper (or aluminum foil) and chill for at least 4 hours.  I just put it in the fridge overnight.

Chop or break the pecans into small pieces (about 4 pieces per pecan).

Cut the dough into 1/4-inch slices and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Press 4 or 5 pecan pieces onto each cookie.  Bake at 350ºF for 9 minutes.

To make the praline frosting, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tbsp. water in a saucepan.

Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.

Blend in the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp. water.  Mix until smooth.

If necessary, add a few drops of water until it becomes the consistency of a glaze.

Drizzle the cookies with the praline frosting.

Enjoy!

Candy Lasses

We make these peppermint cookies every Christmas - they're a family recipe and they are one of my favorites.

Ingredients:

• Cookies
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. molasses
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes
• Peppermint Frosting
• 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. crushed candy canes
• 3 tbsp. soft butter
• red food coloring
• 1-4 tbsp. milk

Yield: 36 cookies

Begin by crushing the candy canes - I did it in a mixer attachment.  I just used a box of 12 candy canes - the leftover crushed candy is good on top of whipped cream in cocoa or coffee.

Cream the butter in a mixer.

Add both the sugar and the brown sugar and cream well.

Blend in the egg and molasses.

Add the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.

Mix in the 1/2 cup of crushed candy canes.

Drop by teaspoon onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Bake at 350ºF for 12 minutes.

Now you need to make the frosting.

Combine the powdered sugar, vanilla, crushed candy canes, butter, and a few drops of red food coloring.

Blend in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency.

Frost the cookies.  Allow the frosting to set and enjoy.